This week on the podcast we're talking about common productivity myths, how well gadgets survive under extreme temperatures in a car, and how to pitch an idea effectively. We're also answering your questions about getting out of awkward conversations, how to use GitHub, the apps we couldn't live without, and more.

How to Listen to This Week's Episode

News and Top Stories

Apple Releases iTunes 11 - iTunes 11 is out, bringing a faster app with new features and a new interface. We talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly icon, as well as how you can get some of the old iTunes features back (if you prefer).

Google Adds Detailed Medication Info to Its Smart Search Results - If you've just come back from the doctor with a new prescription and want to know a little more about it-maybe you forgot what your doctor told you about the side effects-Google has added medications to its smart Knowledge Graph, showing detailed information next to your results.

Seven Productivity Myths Debunked by Science (and Common Sense) - The end goal of "productivity" is to spend less time doing the things you have to do so you have more time for the things you want to do. Of course, if you follow every morsel of productivity advice out there, you probably spend more time moving papers and emails around than actually getting anything done. Need to simplify your routine? Let's put an end to some common productivity tropes once and for all.

Questions and Answers

Each week we answer five questions from readers and listeners. Here's what we tackled this week.

My husband and I got caught in an awkward conversation with a coworker at a party. Is there an app that will get us out of this kind of situation? Yes, and it's called Rescu.me. That said, we favor being honest whenever possible. Telling someone they're bringing up an uncomfortable subject, or simply changing the subject to a better one, isn't a bad thing to do.

If you could only download one app on your phone, what would it be? Dachis chose Downcast (our favorite podcasting app for iOS, with DoggCatcher being the Android equivalent), Alan choose Yelp (for iOS and Android), and Whitson went with BeerCloud (for iOS and Android).

I am looking into getting a smartphone, but only for use on Wi-Fi or other such hotspots. What are a few decent older model smartphones (I'm on a budget) that could be used? We settled on an old iPhone or an old Google Nexus as the best choices. They're cheap used and still work great.

Recently, I purchased a couple of Airport Express' as an alternative to the expensive Sonos system. I have set them up and they are great! Wireless music controlled by your iPhone is great! However, I am not a big fan of iTunes, and I am looking for alternatives that would allow me to play music stored on my network drive, to multiple airport expresses and control using my iPhone. The problem with iTunes is that it slows down my desktop since I have to keep it running at all times. What are my options? Nothing works better than iTunes, but try AirFoil (Windows and OS X), Raop (Linux and OS X), or just keep your music on your iPhone.

How Do I Submit a Question?

Please keep your questions as brief as possible. This means about 3-5 sentences for emails and 30-60 seconds for calls and videos. Your questions can be specific, but broader questions are generally better because they'll apply to more people. For example, "how can I breathe new life into my old PDA?" is much better than "what can I do with an old HP iPAQ 210?" Either way, we look forward to hearing from you!